Longest Golf Drivers 2023
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Our launch monitor test reveals the longest golf drivers in 2023.
If you’re looking for the best golf driver, you should be considering more than just which drivers are the longest, but it’s fair to say that the majority of golfers still want to know they’re getting the most yardage possible from their swing speed. And that’s understandable: strokes gained research shows that the closer you get to the green for your approach shot, the lower you’ll score. Not to mention the satisfaction of bombing one 30 yards past your mates…
What we have here are the eight big dogs that proved to be the longest golf drivers in our head-to-head test of all 2023 models.
It’s no surprise that the four longest golf drivers are all among the best low-spin drivers, as these models tend to get the most distance from high swing speeds. But the next four longest drivers all feature in our pick of the most forgiving drivers of 2024, which proves that modern technology means you can get a good combination of distance and forgiveness.
Longest Golf Drivers 2023
Price: $579.00
Price: $579.00
With a carry distance of 282 yards, the Ping G430 LST was the longest golf driver of 2023 in our test. And the difference was fairly significant; whereas the next seven longest golf drivers only have two yards between all of them, the Ping G430 LST was four yards ahead of the next longest driver, the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond.
The Ping G430 LST produced the fastest ball speed of all drivers, at 161.6mph, which combined with an 11.5º launch angle and 2,206rpm of spin to produce peerless carry distances.
And the Ping G430 LST driver isn’t just long, it’s also more forgiving than you might think.
Where Ping LST drivers traditionally have looked more intimidating at address, this new model looks more friendly and playable sat behind a ball.
Ping say the 9,083gcm2 MOI is 5.5% higher than its G425 LST predecessor, and now at the level of most rivals’ more forgiving drivers.
A new wrap-over carbon fibre crown and 440cc head size, plus a 22g sliding back weight give good influence over shot shape.
Ping drivers usually favour forgiveness over all-out ball speed and distance, but our data shows the LST is a bit of a brute in 2023.
Thanks to the carbon crown upping price, the G430 LST is a sizeable investment over previous titanium Ping drivers. But if your game will benefit from cutting spin and you don’t want to give up forgiveness unnecessarily, the LST will be good now and for years to come.
We liked the model when combined with Ping’s slightly higher launching Tour 2.0 Chrome shaft, but make sure you get a fitting to maximise performance at this price.
Read our full Ping G430 LST driver review.
The Ping G430 LST produced the fastest ball speed of all drivers, at 161.6mph, which combined with an 11.5º launch angle and 2,206rpm of spin to produce peerless carry distances.
And the Ping G430 LST driver isn’t just long, it’s also more forgiving than you might think.
Where Ping LST drivers traditionally have looked more intimidating at address, this new model looks more friendly and playable sat behind a ball.
Ping say the 9,083gcm2 MOI is 5.5% higher than its G425 LST predecessor, and now at the level of most rivals’ more forgiving drivers.
A new wrap-over carbon fibre crown and 440cc head size, plus a 22g sliding back weight give good influence over shot shape.
Ping drivers usually favour forgiveness over all-out ball speed and distance, but our data shows the LST is a bit of a brute in 2023.
Thanks to the carbon crown upping price, the G430 LST is a sizeable investment over previous titanium Ping drivers. But if your game will benefit from cutting spin and you don’t want to give up forgiveness unnecessarily, the LST will be good now and for years to come.
We liked the model when combined with Ping’s slightly higher launching Tour 2.0 Chrome shaft, but make sure you get a fitting to maximise performance at this price.
Read our full Ping G430 LST driver review.
| Lofts: | 9° / 10.5° |
| Stock shaft: | Alta CB Black, Ping Tour 2.0 Chrome, Ping Tour 2.0 Black |
Price: £599 RRP
If you swing the driver with the speed and consistency of a Jon Rahm or Xander Schauffele, the tour-focused Triple Diamond is absolutely for you. But, well, you likely don’t.
Hit from the middle, our Test Pro said, this thing is a rocket. It produced ball speeds of 159.6mph and a carry distance of 278 yards, making it the second-longest golf driver of 2023.
But anything struck off-center is savagely punished. A 59-yard left-to-right dispersion was well above test average, so too the 888yrd2 shot area.
A cracking driver… but only in the right hands.
Read our full Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver review.
Hit from the middle, our Test Pro said, this thing is a rocket. It produced ball speeds of 159.6mph and a carry distance of 278 yards, making it the second-longest golf driver of 2023.
But anything struck off-center is savagely punished. A 59-yard left-to-right dispersion was well above test average, so too the 888yrd2 shot area.
A cracking driver… but only in the right hands.
Read our full Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond driver review.
| Lofts: | 9º, 10.5º, 12º |
| Stock shafts: | MCA Aldila Ascent PL Blue, Project X Hzrdus Silver, Project X Hzrdus Black |
Price: £529 RRP
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus was just one yard behind the Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond in terms of carry distance, and actually produced higher ball speeds (161.5mph versus the Paradym’s 159.6mph). A 400rpm lower spin rate gave Callaway’s driver the extra distance, but depending on your swing and delivery, and if you get the right combination of shaft and ball, you may well find the Stealth 2 Plus just as long a golf driver, if not longer, than the Paradym Triple Diamond.
Either way, the difference in distance is likely to be small, and considering the Stealth 2 Plus produced comfortably the smallest shot area of every driver we tested (including the forgiving models), it clearly offers a great mix of distance and forgiveness.
It’s no secret that the original carbon-faced Stealth Plus driver was fast and long, but if there was a criticism, it was how the model wasn’t the most forgiving. With an MOI that’s 10% higher (7,400g cm2) than its predecessor, the new Stealth 2 Plus brilliantly addresses that.
Read our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver review.
Either way, the difference in distance is likely to be small, and considering the Stealth 2 Plus produced comfortably the smallest shot area of every driver we tested (including the forgiving models), it clearly offers a great mix of distance and forgiveness.
It’s no secret that the original carbon-faced Stealth Plus driver was fast and long, but if there was a criticism, it was how the model wasn’t the most forgiving. With an MOI that’s 10% higher (7,400g cm2) than its predecessor, the new Stealth 2 Plus brilliantly addresses that.
Read our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus driver review.
| Lofts: | 8° / 9° / 10.5° |
| Stock Shaft: | Mitsubishi Kai’li Red (Mid Flight), Project X HZRDUS Black 4G (Low Flight) |
Price: £529 RRP
Like Callaway’s Paradym Triple Diamond, the Titleist TSR4 is a super low-spin driver for seriously high-speed players. With a carry distance of 277 yards, the TSR4 was just five yards short of our very longest golf driver, which puts it right in the mix on a spreadsheet.
Even so, our Test Pro reckoned the model is miles away from being a reliable fairway finder he’d use out on a golf course.
Read our full Titleist TSR4 driver review.
Even so, our Test Pro reckoned the model is miles away from being a reliable fairway finder he’d use out on a golf course.
Read our full Titleist TSR4 driver review.
| Lofts: | 8° / 9° / 10° |
| Stock shaft: | HZRDUS RED CB, TENSEI AV BLUE, HZRDUS BLACK 4G, TENSEI 1K BLACK |
Price: £499 RRP
A ball speed of 161.5mph puts the TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver just 0.1mph lower than the fastest driver on test, the Ping G430 LST, which shows the TaylorMade Stealth 2 really packs some speed despite being pigeonholed as a more forgiving model.
It’s the higher spin rate of 2,710rpm that sees the Stealth 2 lose a few yards, but throw in a third-best left-to-right dispersion and many golfers may be wise to surrender a small amount of distance for a bit more accuracy off the tee. The look, sound and feel are hard to beat, too.
Read our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver review.
It’s the higher spin rate of 2,710rpm that sees the Stealth 2 lose a few yards, but throw in a third-best left-to-right dispersion and many golfers may be wise to surrender a small amount of distance for a bit more accuracy off the tee. The look, sound and feel are hard to beat, too.
Read our full TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver review.
| Lofts: | 9° / 10.5° / 12° |
| Stock shafts: | Fujikura Ventus Red TR |
Price: £499 RRP
With a ball speed of 160.4mph and carry distance of 276 yards, the Mizuno ST-X 230 driver competes with the longest golf drivers of 2023 and produced a shot area of 574.4 square yards, which was tighter than the TaylorMade Stealth 2, Ping G430 LST and Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond.
The distance is seriously impressive when you consider Mizuno’s stock shaft length is 0.75 inches shorter than the competition, which typically makes a driver easier to use but reduces outright distance potential.
A price increase puts Mizuno right in among the big boys in terms of cost, which is the only stumbling block we can see for this excellent driver in 2023.
Read our full Mizuno ST-X 230 driver review.
The distance is seriously impressive when you consider Mizuno’s stock shaft length is 0.75 inches shorter than the competition, which typically makes a driver easier to use but reduces outright distance potential.
A price increase puts Mizuno right in among the big boys in terms of cost, which is the only stumbling block we can see for this excellent driver in 2023.
Read our full Mizuno ST-X 230 driver review.
| Lofts: | 9° / 10.5° / 12° |
| Stock shaft: | Choose from 14 premium options |
Price: £499 RRP
As lovely, simple-looking players’ drivers go, the Srixon ZX7 is right up there alongside the very best.
It produced a very solid ball speed of 160mph and carry distance of 276 yards. A spin rate of 2,733rpm was slightly higher than some of the other longest drivers, something to keep an eye on if you test it out for yourself, especially if you’re a high-speed, high-spin golfer.
It produced a very solid ball speed of 160mph and carry distance of 276 yards. A spin rate of 2,733rpm was slightly higher than some of the other longest drivers, something to keep an eye on if you test it out for yourself, especially if you’re a high-speed, high-spin golfer.
| Lofts: | 9.5° / 10.5° |
| Stock shaft: | Project X HZRDUS Black Gen 4 / Project X HZRDUS Smoke Red RDX shafts. |
Price: £399 RRP
At 276 yards carry distance, the Yonex Ezone GS i-Tech tied with the TaylorMade Stealth 2, Mizuno ST-X 230 and Srixon ZX7 MkII. It’s an impressive performance from a brand that doesn’t match the others in terms of size or reputation, and may be available for a significantly cheaper price than its rivals if you shop around.
We don’t love the head shape, deep face and slightly closed face angle, but if you like a lightweight, lively feel and aren’t shy of going ‘off-piste’ in terms of brands, the Yonex Ezone GS i-Tech is one of the longest golf drivers and well worth trying.
We don’t love the head shape, deep face and slightly closed face angle, but if you like a lightweight, lively feel and aren’t shy of going ‘off-piste’ in terms of brands, the Yonex Ezone GS i-Tech is one of the longest golf drivers and well worth trying.
How we tested the longest golf drivers
We asked the leading brands to send us their 2023 drivers in our Test Pro Neil Wain’s specs.
We created an indoor test lab at Keele Golf Centre to ensure a controlled environment, which meant we could use premium Srixon Z-Star golf balls and a Foresight GC Quad launch monitor to create the most reliable data possible.
We rejected major misses, but recorded how shots launched, span, peaked out and how far they flew in which direction.
See more about how TG tests golf clubs and other equipment.
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Longest Golf Drivers 2023
